The Witching Hour Sessions – 16/01/2018

Four Tet

Introduced into my orbit by the mighty Dave Holland in 2010 and still occasionally seen in the sky’s over Durrow…

Kieran Hebden (born 1978), best known by the stage name Four Tet, is an English musician. Hebden first came to prominence as a member of the band Fridge before establishing himself as a solo artist.

Hebden has remixed tracks by artists including Aphex Twin, Explosions in the Sky, Super Furry Animals, Radiohead, Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Rey, Manic Street Preachers, Sia and Black Sabbath, and has produced two albums by psychedelic improvisational group Sunburned Hand of the Man. Hebden’s recent output includes a number of improvisational works with jazz drummer Steve Reid and collaborations with Burial and Thom Yorke.

In 2017, Hebden was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Production, Non-Classical, for his remix of The XX’s ‘Violent Noise’.

Tonight’s listening;

1 – Rounds (2003)

Though ‘Rounds’ is experimental by nature, Kieran Hebden’s gift for melody and emotional shading allows his records to be enjoyed by an audience wider than merely experimental listeners.

2 – There Is Love in You (2010)

Overall, ‘There Is Love in You’ has the spartan precision of Phillip Glass but also, surprisingly, the warmth and vitality of classic Cluster as well. From his debut, Hebden has always made the more alien side of electronic music sound warm and inviting; this not only accomplishes that, but ranks with his best.

3 – Beautiful Rewind (2013)

Love this challenging but charming album.